Ironing machine



Aug. 18, 1936. J. B. KIRBY 2,051,449

IRONING MACHINE original Filed Deo. 9. 1929 4 3 Inventos: gz e SMw/Mrmmb Patented Aug.I 18, 1936 IRNNG MACHINE James B. Kirby, West Richiield, Ohio, assigner to The Apex Electrical Manufacturing Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Reiiled for abandoned 412,720, December 9,

application Serial No. 1929. This application May 1, 1934, Serial No. 723,420

21 Claims.

'I'his invention relates to ironing machines, especially those designed for domestic use, and has for its object the provision of a particularly simple, reliable, and inexpensive type of machine; the provision of an ironer having a new and improved type of mechanism for transmitting the power of the motor to the ironing elements and for controlling the speed and pressure of those parts; the provision of an ironingmachine containing and operated by a smaller and less expensive motor thanrheretofore; while further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds. The present application is filed in place of my abandoned application for Ironing machines, Serial No. 412,720, tiled December 9, 1929.

In the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this application I have shown o ne embodiment of my inventive idea although it will be understood that this drawingis intended to be merely illustrative of the principles of myinvention and not to.be exhaustive of their mode of application nor of the design and operation of the different parts. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of my improved ironer; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, vertical, sectional view oi the machine shown in Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view corresponding to the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the broken line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a vertical detail sectional view corresponding to the line 5-5 in Figs. 2 and 4; Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail oi the adjusting and controlling valve shown in- Fig. 5; and Fig. '1 is a horizontal sectional view corresponding to the line 1-1 of Figs. 2, 3, and 5.

The ironer here chosen for illustrative purposes comprises a rotatable, cylindrical roll,

indicated generally by the reference character I and comprising a covering of cloth on a hollow cylindrical body 2 mounted on a horizontal axis alongside a concave-faced metal shoe 3, adapted to be heated in some manner not shown. The roll is adapted to be' rotated, and the shoe and roll are arranged to be moved, one toward and away from the other, as necessitated by the operation of the machine, both of these movements being produced by the power of the electric-motori. In the present embodiment it is the-shoe that is moved laterally toward and from the roll. In its preferred form the frame VVoi the machine comprises a hollow metal casing "5, having projecting from one side the rigid, hollow, tubev 6, provided at one end with the supporting foot 1, adapted to rest o n a table,

while bolted to the bottom of the casing 5 is an oil-pan 8, provided with other .feet 9, 9 which cooperate with the foot 1 in supporting the device.

Formed in the casing 5 in front of the tube 6 is a vertical cylinder I0, having therein a vertically movable piston Il. The upper end of the cylinder is closed and its lower end opens un-v obstructedly into the oil-pan and casing 5. Journaled in the tube 6 isA a horizontal rockshait I2 having prismatic portions I3 and Il at its opposite ends, the former receiving the upright arm I5, which carries the shoe I, and the latter receiving the lateral arm I5 located inside the casing 5 and terminating in an upturned iinger I1 pressing against the bottom of the piston II. Downward movement of the piston in its cylinder will therefore cause the shoe to approach the roll, and upward movement thereof will permit the same to recede from the roll, this recession beingcaused by asuitable spring I9 operatively Integral with the casing 5 above the cylinder I is a second .casing 20 whose wall defines a substantially cylindrical surface 2l parallel but eccentric to the horizontal hub 22. Rigidly attached to this hub is the horizontal, hollow, bearing-sleeve 23 on which is rotatably journaled the roll I and inside which is rotatably Journaled the horizontal shaft 2l which drives that roll. 'I-he face of the casing 20- opposite the hub 22 is closed by a removable cover-plate 25; one side-wall of the casing 20 preferably constitutes a part of the end-wall of the cylinder I0; and rotatably mounted in this casing 20, concentric to and rigid with the shaft 24, is a rotatable head 26. Owing to the eccentric relation of the wall 2I relative to the hub 22, this head touches the wall 2l at'only one point, which is preferably just above the cylinder I0, and thev head is formed with radial slots 21 in which are slidably mounted the blades 28, the latter being caused by suitable springs 29 to` follow the wall 2| as said head is revolved.

Formed in the casing at one side of the cylinder I0 is a vertical cylindrical cavity 30 having at its lower end a pump-chamber 3| which projectsbelow the level of the casing 5 and hence depends into the oil-pan I. The bottom end of this pump-chamber is closed -by means of a suitable cap 32, and the wall of the said pump-chamber is formedwith two ports, one an inlet port 23, .communicating with the oil-pan I, and the other an outlet port Il., communicating associated with the arm l5.

with a duct 35 formed in the side-wall of the casing parallel to the cavity 30. Located in the pump chamber 3| is the runner or rotor 36 of a rotary pump which is connected directly to the shaft 31 of the electric motor 4, this motor being here shown as mounted vertically for this pur- Also communicating with the upper end of the v cylinder I0 is an inlet-port 45 communicating with the duct 35. The ow of the working fluid from the pump to the cylinder and motor is controlled by a suitable valve, one form of which is shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 and is as follows:

Formed in the casing parallel to the duct 35 is another duct 50 separated from the duct 35 by a web 5| and opening at its lower end into the oil-pan 8 as shown in Fig. 5. Formed on this wall is an aperture 52 shaped to constitute a valve-seat and in the present instance located close to the port 45 as shown in Fig. 4. Formed integral with the casing and projecting outwardly, concentric with this aperture is an internally screw-threaded boss 53 in which is adjustably mounted the regulating screw 54 having a knurled head 55. Carried by the boss 53 and surrounding the screw-head is a yoke 56 carrying a cam-member 51. Reciprocably mounted in this hollow boss andl seating in the aperture 52 is a longitudinally-movable valve-member 60 having a stem 6| projecting loosely through the screw 54 and cam 51 and provided with a second cam 62 and operating handle 63. Interposed between the screw 54 and a collar 65 carried by the valve member is a spring 66 arranged to tend to close the valve. y

The pump-runner or rotor can be of any suitable or'desired construction. It can be of a plain centrifugal nature with fixed blades, or it can be of a more positive nature with movable blades. In the present embodiment I have shown the rotor as provided with movable blades 10 adapted to follow the wall of the pump-chamber which is made eccentric hereto, the blades being moved outwardly by the centrifugal force of rotation, supplemented, if desired, by springs. The ends of these blades are preferably beveled away on their advancing face for two reasons, flrst that they may not tend to dig into the wall of the pump chamber, and, second, that they may automatically be pressed back when a predetermined fluid-pressure is reached, thereby preventing injury to the machine by the hydrostatic pressure or burning out of the' motor by overloading.

The plain type of centrifugal pump also exhibits the property of producing only a fixed maximum pressure; and indeed a valve of the type shown in Fig. 6 when employed constitutes an additional pressure-release by becoming unseated whenever the pressure against the end of the valve member overcomes the tension imposed on the spring 66 by the adjustment of the screw 54, thus enabling adjustment of the pressure 'which shall be produced between the roll and shoe.

Removably carried by the free-end of the tube 23 is a bracket 15 to which are journaled a plurality of planetary gears 16, meshing on the one side with teeth 11 cut in the shaft 24, and on the other side /with internal teeth formed in the ring 18 carried by the cylinder body 2. "A hand-nut 19 screwed on an extension 80 of the shaft presses against a plate 8l covering this ring-gear and holds the roll removably in place.

The operating liquid preferably-employed is a rather thin lubricating oil which has the combined advantages of cheapness, freedom from tendency to spoil or decompose, and of being proof against freezing and able to lubricate all the parts automatically. 'I'he electric motor is preferably of comparatively small size and high speed, that is to say: instead of the usual largesize and slow-speed motor commonly employed for machines of this nature, I preferably employ a comparatively small and inexpensive motor, such as customarily used on electric vacuum cleaners, and operating at a speed of from 5,000 to 10,000 revolutions per minute. Speeds of this magnitude are very difricult to reduce by means of gearing, especially to such an excessively low speed as is required in an ironing-machine, but such a pump as I have described can readily be adjusted to afford any desired oil-pressure per square inch, say from 15 to 25 lbs., while running at this speed and without detrimentally loading fthe motor. When the valve is so manipulated as to transmit this pressure to the end of the piston Il the shoe is automatically moved toward the roll, and the passage of the oil to the motor-casing 20 commences the rotation of the head 26 and shaft 24 and thereby the roll l. The

4speed of rotation is controlled by thel amount of opening of the valve 43, all the way from zero, (useful for pressing clothes) to the maximum at which simple articles can be fed to the machine. The instant that the control-valve 60 is reversed (here arranged to be effected by a touch of the operators elbow on the knob with which the lever 63 is provided) pressure is released from the piston, the roll ceases turning andthe shoe recedes therefrom. The knob,85 is preferably rather heavyv and arranged to be moved over dead center to open and close the valve, thus constituting a. safety device.

I have shown the exterior of the piston Il as provided merely with sharp-edged circumferential grooves 86 instead of packing, since these, while they do not completely prevent the passage of liquid along the cylinder, serve to reduce such liquid passage sufficiently to enable the pump to maintain the desired pressure. The oil reservoir is never under pressure so little possibility of leakage exists. In case of failure of electric current during ironing no injury can occur since the shoe can still be released from the roll by the control valve. 'I'his is because the separation of the members is effected by the agency of energy of the potential variety stored in the spring I9 or other equivalent device) during the approaching movement of the members.

Preferably the casing 5--20 and oil-pan 8 are made in the form of die-castings, a hardened steel ring 81 being inset to constitute the wall of the pump-chamber in case blades are used which would otherwise wear the same. It'will be understood that many changes in the details of construction, arrangement, design, and grouping of the essential parts can be made without departing from the purview of my inventive idea,

and I accordingly do not limit myself in any wise except as specifically recited in my several claims which I desire may be construed broadly each independently of limitations contained in other claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim isz,

1. In an ironing machine of the class described, a frame, ironing means comprising a revoluble roller member and a cooperating pressing member carried thereby, one of said members being movable toward and from the other, in comblnation with fluid-pressure means for eil'ecting such movement and a fluid-pressure motor for rotating said roller member, said fluid-pressure means and motor communicating with each other whereby they are simultaneously operated, and electrically operated means operatively connected to said Huid-pressure means and carried by said frame for producing such uid pressure.

2. In an ironing machine of the type having two cooperating members one of which is mounted for movement toward and away from the other, one at least of said members being cylindrical and rotatable and one at least of said members being heated, iluid-pressure means to cause such relative movement of approach and recession between said members and a uidpressure motor having its inlet side communicating with said means for rotating the rotatable member when fluid pressure is applied to said means, in combination with an electrically-operated fluid-pressure pump connected to said fluidpressure means and carried by and constituting a part of said machine, and valve means for controlling the transmission of such pressure to said means and motor.

3. In an ironing machine of the type described, a frame, ironing means comprising a revoluble roller member and a cooperating pressing mem- Y ber carried thereby, one of said members being means and motor whereby fluid is fed from one to the other, and valve means for controlling the transmission of such fluid pressure to said fluidpressure means and motor.

4. In an ironing machine of the type having a shoe and a roll one of which is movable toward and away from the other, two intercommunicating fluid-pressure means, one to rotate the roll and the other to move the shoe substantially simultaneously with the initial rotation of said roll,

and a single control member operative to quickly.

relieve said means from such fluid pressure v,whereby the rotation of said roll is stopped and said roll and shoe are allowed to separate.

5. In an ironing machine, aframe, two cooperating ironing members carried thereby and adapted to receive between them the fabrics to be ironed, one of said members being movable toward and away from the other and one at least of said members being rotatable, an electric motor carried by said frame, a. rotary pump operatively connected thereto, a iluid reservoir connected with the pump inlet, a conduit conwhich is movable toward and away from the nected to the pump outlet, a piston operatively connected to said movable ironing member whereby to produce such movement of approach and recession, a cylinder for said piston having an inlet connected to said conduit, a fluid-pressure motor operatively connected to said rotatable member in rotating relation, an open conduit connecting the cylinder outlet to the motor inlet, a conduit connecting the motor outlet with said reservoir, and means for controlling the admission of such fluid pressure to said motor and cylinder.

6. In an ironing machine, a frame, two cooperating ironing .members carried thereby and adapted to receive between them the fabrics to be ironed, one of said members being movable toward and away from the other and one at least of said members being rotatable, an electric motor carried by said frame, `a rotary pumpV operatively connected thereto,v a fluid reservoir connected with the pump inlet, a conduit connected to the pump outlet, a cylinder having an inlet opening connected to said conduit, a piston in said cylinder operatively connected to said movable ironing member whereby to produce such 25 movement of approach and recession, l,a liuidpressure motor operatively connected to said rotatable member in rotating relation, an open conduit for establishing communication between said cylinder and motor whereby they are simultaneously operated, a conduit connecting said motor with said reservoir, means for limiting the pressure of such fluid, and means for controlling the admission of such uid pressure to said motor and cylinder.

7. In an ironing machine, 'a frame, a roll and a shoe carried thereby, said roll being rotatable about its axis and said shoe being relatively movable transversely vof such axis toward and from the roll, a fluid-pressure motor for rotating said roll, fluid-pressure means for causing such relative movement between said roll and shoe, a uid-pressure pump carried by said frame, an electric motor operatively connected to said pump, conduits for conveying the uid pressure produced by said pump to said means and thence to said motor whereby they are substantially simultaneously operated, a valve for controlling the flow of pressure from said pump, and a second valve between said fluid-pressure means and fluid-pressure motor for controlling the speed of said fluid-pressure motor whereby the speed of the roll may be varied for the ironing of different articles, said second valve` being operative to stop the `rotation of said rollend permit the independent operation'of said fluidpressure means for pressing operations.

8. In anironing machine, in combination, a frame, a roll and a shoe carried thereby, one of other, said roll being rotatableabout its own axis, a rotary-type fluid-pressure pump carried by said frame, an electric motor directly connected thereto, and two intercommunicating fluid-pressure means operated by the eilluent from said pump and connected thereto, one for rotating said roll and the other for causing at the same time the relative movement between said roll and shoe.

9. In an ironing machine, in combination, a frame, a roll and a shoe carried thereby, one of which is movable toward and away from the other, 'said roll being rotatable about a horizontal axis, a rotary-type fluid pump and an electric motor direct-connected together and se- `75' l cured to said frame with their common axis vertical, and two intercommunicating fluid-pressure means operated by the eiiluent from said pump and connected thereto, one for initiating the rotation of said roll and the other for causing at the same time the relative movement between said roll and shoe.

10. In an ironing machine, in combination, a lrame, a roll and a shoe carried thereby, one of which is movable toward and away from the other, said roll being rotatable about a horizontal axis, an electric motor carried by said frame at one end of said roll and located substantially within the extended cylindrical surface dened by said roll and having its axis vertical, a rotarytype fluid-pressure pump operatively connected to the motor shaft, and two interconnected fluidpressure means operated by the eiliuent from said pump and connected thereto, one for initiating the rotation of said roll and the other for for causing at the same time the relative movement between said roll and shoe.

11. In an ironing machine, a frame having therein an oil reservoir, a fluid-pressure pump chamber communicating therewith, a cylinder, a duid-pressure motor chamber, and ducts connecting said pump chamber to said cylinder, said cylinder to said motor chamber and said motor chamber to said'reservoir whereby said cylinder and motor chamber are simultaneously exposed to fluid pressure, a valve means for controlling the transmission of pressure from said pump to said cylinder, a rotary ironing element carried by said frame, a motor-rotor in said motor chamber operatively connected to said rotary element, a second ironing element carmotor chamber to said reservoir, and ironing elements carried by said frame, one of which is movable toward and away from the other, one' of said elements being rotatable, al motor-rotor in said motor chamber operatively connected to said rotatable element, a movable device in said cylinder for producing' relative lateral movement between said ironing elements, said motor-rotor. and said device being subjected to fluid pressure substantially simultaneously, a pumping element in said pump chamber and means for operating said' pumping element.

13. An ironing machine having two cooperative ironing members one of which is mounted for movement toward and away from the other,

at least one of said members being cylindrical and rotatable and at least one of said members being heated, fluid-pressure means to actuate said movably mounted member toward said other ironing member, a fluid-pressure motor for rotating said cylindrical member, and conduit means connecting said fluid-pressure means and said motor whereby fluid-pressure acting upon said fluid-pressure means will simultaneously discharge therefrom. to operate said fluid-pressure motor, in combination with an -electrically operated fluid-pressure pump connected to saidy fluid-pressure means, said pump being carried by and constituting a part of said machine.

, 14. In an ironing machine, a frame, twol cooperating members carried thereby and adapted to receive between them the fabric to be ironed, one of said members being movable toward and away from the other and one at least of said members being rotatable, huid-pressure means for causing such movement, a fluid-pressure motor operatively connected to said rotatable member in rotating relation, means providing open fluid communication between said fluid-pressure means and said motor whereby they are simultaneously operated, an electrically operated, fluid-pressure pump carried by said frame for producing vsuch fluid pressure, and means for controlling such fluid-pressure and thereby the speed of such rotation and the pressure between said members.

15. In an ironing machine, a hollow casing, a rotatable ironing member lsupported at one end by said casing, a fluid-pressure pump in said casing, an electric motor operatively connected thereto, a fluid-pressure motor having a cylin- Fder formed by said casing, means for connecting said fluid-pressure motor to said rotatable member in rotating relation, and conduit means formed by said casing for conducting such fluid pressure from said pump to said fluid-pressure motor in driving relation.

16. In an ironing machine, a hollow casing, a rotatable ironing member supported at one end by said casing, a fluid-pressurepump in said casing, an electric motor operatively connected lthereto, a fluid-pressure motor operatively cone nected to said rotatable member in rotating relation and having a cylinder coaxial with said rotatable ironing member and formed by said casing, conduit means' formed in said casing leading from the pump outlet to the motor inlet, and means for establishing communication ybetween said conduit means and the pump inlet whereby the fluid pressure supplied to said fluid-pressure motor is controlled.

17. Inan ironing machine, in combination, a frame, a horizontal tube having one end rigidly fastened thereto and the other end projecting free, a hollow cylindrical roll journaled on and supported solely by said tube, a drive shaft projecting through and journaled in said tube, driving means for said shaft carried by said frame at one end of the shaft, and speed-reducing gears operatively connecting the opposite end of said drive shaft to said roll.

18. In an ironing machine, a hollow casing, relatively movable ironing elements supported from said casing, a fluid containing reservoir in said casing, a rotary fluid-pressure pump immersed in the fluid contained within the reservoir of said casing, an electric motor operatively connected to said pump, fluid-pressure operated devices having xed .cylinders formed by said casing and pistons movable therein and operatively connected to said ironing elements, and means for controlling the application to said .fluid-pressure operated devices of the fluid pressure produced by said pump.

19. In an ironing machine, a hollow casing, two cooperating members supported from said casing and adapted to receive between them the fabrics to beironed, one of said members being movable toward and away from the other and one at least of said members being rotatable, said casing defining intercommunicating' .cylinfor simultaneously causing the movements o! 20. In an ironing machine, a hollow casing,

two cooperating ironing members movably supported from said casing, one of said members being movable 'toward and away from the other and at least one of said 'members being rotatable, said casing comprising a base portion, a cylinder thereabove and a second cylinder above said rst cylinder having its axis arranged on an angle with respect to the axis of said first cylinder, piston means in said cylinders operatively connected to said ironing members, and means for supplying fluid under pressure to said cylinders for effecting the operation of said pistons.

21. In an ironing machine, a hollow casing, two cooperating ironing members movably supported from said casing, one of said members being movable toward and away from the other and at least one of said members being rotatable, said casing comprising a base portion, a verti-` cally arranged cylinder extending upwardly therefrom, a horizontally arranged cylinder carried on top of said vertically arranged cylinder,

piston means in said cylinders operatively con-v 

